In the average home, the hot water heater is set much higher than is necessary or desired. Many homes have it set well over 55C or 140F but water this temperature is never actually used. In the shower or sink it's normally mixed with cold water. Most people are happy with water under 45C or 120F, which will save a good amount of CO2 emissions and money.

Recent Related Links

Very broadly, being sustainable is to live in such a way that can be maintained forever given the resources at hand. This usually means trying to consume only renewable resources, recycling everything that can be, and minimizing resource use generally.

Just in time for spring to arrive, here is a list of the top 10 easiest, and impactful, ways to become more sustainable for 2012. A nice benefit of striving for sustainability is that it will also often save you money as well as improve quality of life.

"Many of the EWG's findings are pretty eye-opening — like some revealing facts about beef, which produces twice the emissions of pork, four times as much as chicken, and 13 times that of vegetable protein such as beans, lentils, and tofu."

With water costs rising steadily and nearly 20 percent of the world without access to clean water, why is the concept of rainwater collection so hard to swallow? Michael Nolan breaks it all down in a way that even a politician can understand.